Sparring with Chen Xin

In an open area.

Pei An and Sword Douluo Chenxin stood facing each other.

Quite a few people watched from the surroundings. Some were from Spirit Hall, drawn by curiosity, while others were from various factions hoping to see the strength of Pei An, Spirit Hall's new Pope.

Sword Douluo Chenxin stood proudly, his right hand raised before him with two fingers together. Nine soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—slowly rose around him, while a longsword radiating terrifying killing intent hovered in the air.

"Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Sword!"

"I'd long heard that Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Sword was a top-tier aggressive attack type martial soul, not even inferior to the Clear Sky Hammer. Seeing it now, the rumors were true!"

"Even without facing it directly, I can feel that chillingly sharp pressure!"

Though Sword Douluo Chenxin had not yet become the level ninety-seven Super Douluo from the Original Work, having only just entered the ranks of level ninety-five, he was still among the very best of the Title Douluos.

Take Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, for example. Without any misgivings, Chen Xin could fight three of him at once without flinching.

"Sword Dao Chenxin. Please enlighten me."

Chen Xin spoke calmly, paying no heed to the gazes around him.

At this moment, only his opponent, Pei An, existed in his eyes.

Facing the terrifying pressure of Sword Douluo Chenxin, a Super Douluo, Pei An remained composed.

Eight soul rings slowly rose from his body, immediately drawing cries of shock from the crowd.

"How is that possible?!"

"How could anyone have such a soul ring configuration?!"

"T-ten... Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings!"

Eight soul rings that completely defied the optimal soul ring ratio flashed around Pei An's body.

Purple, purple, black, black, red, red, red, red!

Not a single one matched the optimal soul ring ratio!

Not only were those from other factions dumbfounded, even Spirit Hall's own people wore looks of utter disbelief.

Most of them had never seen Pei An fight before. Seeing this now, they could not help but be utterly astonished.

Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings, which were almost never seen and regarded by countless soul masters as the ultimate pursuit, appeared four at once on Pei An's body!

Even Chen Xin, who normally remained unruffled even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, showed an obvious change in expression.

Only Pei An, Bibi Dong, and the few who had already known remained calm.

Pei An had not spent the past dozen years since crossing over for nothing.

Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts might be exceptionally difficult for others even to encounter, perhaps something they had rarely even heard of.

But that was not the case for Pei An.

Knowing the plot of the Original Work, he knew the locations of many Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

Of course, there was another reason his soul ring ratio was so abnormal.

When Pei An was fourteen, he gained the favor of a deity.

The Goddess of Life, one of the five great God Kings of the God Realm!

A large part of this outrageous soul ring ratio came from the rewards of the Life God Trial.

A longsword appeared before Pei An.

The entire sword was silver-white, with glowing green patterns engraved along both sides. Two utterly different powers—an aura of slaughter and the breath of life—could both be seen upon it.

The sword was exquisitely beautiful. Rather than a weapon, it resembled a refined work of art.

It was Pei An's martial soul, the Sword of the Living Judgement!

Pei An gripped the sword, his expression as calm as still water. His white Pope Robe fluttered despite the absence of wind, its hem drifting like willow catkins.

"Pei An. Please enlighten me."

Two sword intents clashed invisibly. Before they had even truly exchanged blows, some of the lower-level cultivators already found it difficult to breathe and involuntarily retreated farther.

Sword Douluo Chenxin struck first.

Though his cultivation was higher, after that brief exchange just now, Chen Xin already regarded Pei An as an opponent of the same level. There was no need for him to hold back; he had to give it his all.

Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to Pei An and disrespectful to himself.

Chen Xin was not Ning Fengzhi. He had no intention of probing Pei An's strength.

From the very beginning, he had only one goal.

To spar in swordsmanship, experience the swordsmanship of another master, draw parallels, and use another's stone to polish his own jade!

Chen Xin moved like Gui Mei. Before most people could even react, he had already arrived before Pei An with the Seven Kill Sword in hand.

The Seven Kill Sword slashed out with a fierce attack.

Pei An showed no panic. With a flick of his wrist, the Sword of the Living Judgement immediately blocked horizontally before him.

The sharp swords collided, Sword Qi surging and scattering in every direction!

Chen Xin took a slight step back as his fourth soul ring flashed.

A cross-shaped Sword Qi, carrying boundless killing intent, shot toward Pei An.

Fourth Soul Skill, Killing Intent Exposed!

Pei An was utterly fearless.

His First Soul Ring lit up.

A dazzling green light erupted from the Sword of the Living Judgement, and an emerald barrier appeared, blocking Sword Douluo Chenxin's cross-shaped Sword Qi.

Sword of the Living Judgement, First Soul Skill, Living Beings Watchful Protection!

Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword followed the path of absolute slaughter, but Pei An's Sword of the Living Judgement did not.

He followed the path of versatility.

Pei An's soul skills did not merely possess the powerful offensive Soul Power of aggressive attack type martial souls.

He also had an abundance of soul skills similar to those of support type and defensive type martial souls.

The First Soul Skill, Living Beings Watchful Protection, was one of them.

Though it was only his First Soul Skill, the defensive ability of Living Beings Watchful Protection surpassed even the sixth soul skills of ordinary high-level defensive type soul masters.

Pei An held the Sword of the Living Judgement, his expression tranquil. He did not take the initiative to attack, merely standing there and quietly watching Sword Douluo Chenxin, immovable as a mountain and completely at ease.

Sword Douluo Chenxin was not angered, nor did he think Pei An was looking down on him.

His sixth and seventh soul rings both lit up.

As the Seven Kill True Body appeared, Sword Douluo Chenxin's aura began to rise at a visible speed.

Countless Seven Kill Swords appeared behind him and flew toward Pei An like raindrops.

Every flying sword was enough to make low-level soul masters perish on the spot, their might unmatched!

Seventh Soul Skill, Seven Kill True Body!

Sixth Soul Skill, Myriad Swords Returning to the Source!

This time, Pei An did not choose to continue defending with Living Beings Watchful Protection. Instead, he raised the Sword of the Living Judgement in his hand.

His movement was unhurried, without the slightest sign of haste.

The fourth black soul ring on his body flashed.

A strand of sword light emerged from the Sword of the Living Judgement.

At first, it was no thicker than a hair, but within only a few breaths, it had grown to a hundred meters in length!

The sword light tore through the air and collided with the myriad swords that blanketed the sky.

In an instant, those countless Seven Kill Swords melted rapidly beneath the sword light like ice meeting fire.

Sword Douluo Chenxin's pupils suddenly contracted. He retreated, his Second Soul Ring lighting up as Sword Qi protected his body and formed a shield of Sword Qi.

Yet even so, when Pei An's strand of sword light arrived, Chen Xin was still forced back several steps, his hair slightly disheveled.

His eyes burned with excitement. It had been a long time since he had encountered an opponent capable of making him feel so thoroughly suppressed!

His long hair danced as his aura reached its peak.

"Let this final sword decide the victor!"